Tobacco dispenser



Dec. 5, 1944. J STEPHENS 2,364,326

. TOBACCO DISPENSER Filed July 23, 1943 INVENTOR.

lllfornieys Patented Dec. 5, I944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application July 23, 1943, Serial No. 495,873

2 Claims.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in tobacco dispensing devices.

An important object of my invention is the provision of a device for dispensing tobacco that may be detachably mounted on any suitable support, as an automobile windshield, dashboard or the like, without requiring a special mounting to be made therefor.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a device of the above mentioned character that is uniquely constructed to permit the user thereof to fill the bowl of his pipe with one hand, the arrangement being such that the tobacco discharged from the dispenser may not spill from the bowl of the pipe during its operation.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent during the course of the following description. i

In the drawing, forming a part of this specification, and wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a device embodying my invention and showing the same mounted on the windshield of an automotive vehicle,

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of my device,

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2, and

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 44 of Figure 2.

In the accompanying drawing, where for the purpose of illustration, is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral l designates a box-like container for receiving a quantity of smoking tobacco. The lower portion H of the rear wall l2 of the container is inclined toward the front wall l3 thereof and toward an opening M in the bottom wall IS. The container is provided with an open top which is closed by the hingedly mounted cover I6.

The inclined lower portion of the rear wall l2 will cause the tobacco particles within the container to gravitate toward the bottom opening which is normally closed by a sliding plate l'1. As best illustrated in Figure 3, the side walls l8 and I 9 of the container extend downwardly below the bottom wall l and the extending flanges are turned inwardly as at 20 to form guides which slidably receive the opposite marginal edges of the plate. The rearward end of the plate extends through the guides and beyond the bottom'wall l5, which rearwardly extending portion thereof is rolled upwardly and back upon itself to provide a bead 2| which abuttingly engages the inclined lower portion of the rear wall to limit the forward sliding movement of the plate. The head is normally held in engagement with the container by means of a coil spring 22 which is sleeved on a plunger 23 carried by and projecting from the upstanding flange 24 formed on the forward end of the sliding plate. As best illustrated in Figure 2, the plunger is horizontally arranged in vertically spaced relation with the plate and the terminal end thereof extends through an opening in the frontwall l3 of the container, the spring being interposed between the front wall and the upstanding flange 24 of the plate to urge the plate forwardly at all times. The end of the plunger extending into the container is located directly above the opening 14 in the bottom wall whereby toagitate the tobacco and to cause the same to spill through the opening l4 when the plate is moved rearwardly to bring the discharge port 25 into register with the opening M. The discharge port 25 is formed with a depending annular skirt or lip 26 which tapers slightly inwardly and is of a size adapted to fit within the bowl of a conventional smoking pipe.

A bracket 2'! is pivotally attached to a lug 28 projecting from the upper portion of the rear wall l2 of the container, which bracket is formed with a laterally extending flange 29 to which the suction cups 3!] and 3| are fixedly attached. As is well known, the windshield, dashboard or other convenient supporting surfaces in an automobile are frequently inclined from the horizontal and, in view of the fact that the container should be vertically positioned to securethe best results, I have provided the pivotal connection between the lug and the bracket, which construction permits the suction cups to be applied to the supporting surface and the container may then be pivoted to a vertical position regardless of the inclined nature of the support.

Mounted on the wall IQ of the container is a spring clip, 32 which may be flexed outwardly to permit a package of matches to be disposed therebehind. The package of matches is wedged between the clip and the side wall of the container so that the individual matches may be pulled therefrom and struck against the package with one hand. i

In operation, the empty bowl of a pipe is placed under the discharge port 25 of the sliding plate with the depending annular lip 26 extending into the bowl. The pipe may be held in this position with one hand and the annular lip will locate and hold the bowl of the pipe in'pnoper association with the discharge port 25 during sliding movement of the plate. To eflect sliding of the plate the operator places the thumb of the hand holding the pipe against the upstanding flange 24 and presses thereagainst. The plate will slide rearwardly against the resilient action of the coil :spring 22 and as soon as the discharge port 25 moves into register with the opening 14 in the bottom wall of the container the tobacco will spill through the opening and port and into the bowl of the pipe. Obviously, sliding of the plate will also effect movement of the plunger 23 to the container to thoroughly agitate the tobacco whereby to cause the same to be thoroughly loosened prior to its discharge into the pipe. As soon as the bowl of the pipe is filled the operator releases the plate and the coil spring 22 will immediately move the same to the initial position for closing the opening I4.

I prefer that the cover It snugly fit the container and. that the plate I! have a slight frictional'engagement with the bottom surface of the container bottom. The close fitting but sliding engagement of theplate with the bottom of the container willassureeflicientclosing of the openring l4 and will eiiicaciously seal the oontainerto prevent the tobacco therein from drying.

It is-to beunderstood that the form of my invention, herewith shown and described, is tobe taken asapreferred example of the same and that-variouschanges in the size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit ofimy invention or-the scope of the appended claims.

Havingthus described my. invention, I claim: 1. A dispensing device comprising a container having an opening in its'bottom, a plate mounted for sliding movement across the opening and proiecting laterally outward from the container, the said plate normally closing the opening but having an opening movable into register therewith to permit the contents of the container to discharge therefrom, the opening in the plate being provided with a depending annular lip which receives and locates a pipe during movement of the plate into register with the opening in the container, and a plunger carried by the projecting portion of the plate and extending horizontally therefrom into the container immediately above the opening whereby to agitate the contents of the container during sliding movement of the plate.

2. A tobacco dispensing device comprising a container having an opening in its bottom, a plate mounted for sliding movement across the opening and projectinglaterally from the container, the said plate normally closing the opening but having a discharge port movable into register therewith whereby .to permit the contents of the container to dischargetherefrom, the said outlet port of the plate being provided witha depending JOSEPH A. STEPHENS. 

